Time of Your Afterlife
by ARega1s
Summary: Dan Phantom has escaped and has taken the Infinity Map. With his new allies, he plans to not only ruin Danny and Ember's relationship before it began, but also make sure that he exists. Its up to the couple to make sure that doesn't happen. Sequel to The Man Who Sold Them Out. M for language.
1. Chapter 1

Time of Your Afterlife

Chapter 1: Plans are Made

**Hey guys. This is the third and most likely last part of DannyxEmber stories that I have written. That doesn't mean I'm giving up writing all together. I just feel that this third part will be a nice conclusion my previous works. If you haven't read my first two stories, The Day the Music Came Back to Life and The Man Who Sold Them Out, I highly recommend you do before reading this. Thank you all for the support. I do not own Danny Phantom. R&R and Enjoy.**

_We last saw our heros enjoying their 3 month anniversary, having given Vlad Plasmius a taste of his own medicine after he had embarrassed the to to Danny's family and friends and the entire Ghost Zone. Unknown to the couple, Skulker, Undergrowth, and Vortex went to confront Clockwork about the revealing video at the same time Vlad tried to undo his failure. After refusing to help them, Skulker went on a rampage and accidentally released Dan Phantom. After learning about the Infinity Map and it's ability to travel through time from Vlad, Dan has recruited Skulker, Undergrowth, and Vortex to assist him in not only ruining Danny and Ember's relationship before it begins, but also making sure Danny will eventually lose his humanity and guarantee Dan's existence._

*****The Far Frozen*****

"Cut it a little close, Phantom." Skulker spat. "Was it not for my stealth tech, you could have been caught and had Frostbite's tribe all over us"

"Relax, you little ball of snot." Dan replied cooly. "Nobody did notice me and we have our prize."

"Finally, the brat will be out of the way, he will have no spawn, and I can finally make the world my jungle!" Undergrowth cackled.

"Of course you will, my friend." Dan lied. As soon as he made sure Danny would cut out his humanity, he was going to cut his allies so he could rule Earth and the Ghost Zone again.

"So, where will you be sending us?" Vortex asked.

"After remembering most of the events before my loss of humanity and from what you three have filled me in on, I have chosen three points in time for you three to ruin. Skulker, since you are so keen on destroying their relationship from the start, I will send you back to when Ember first came to Amity."

"Good." Skulker grinned. "I can beat the whelp to a pulp and beat that bitch for choosing him over me"

"Lovely." Dan replied, not really paying caring about Skulker's motives. "Vortex, you will go back to when Youngblood and Ember tried to brainwash the adults to going on a cruise. Feel up to rocking the boat?"

"Screw that. I'll rock them like a hurricane!"

"Fantastic" Dan said, moving on. "Last but not least, Undergrowth. You are going back to when the males of Amity were banished and Ember and her friends took over."

"Excellent. Not only was Phantom not present for that incident, but it should be easy to take down those three and conquer the town." he laughed maliciously.

"Wait." Skulker said, brow furrowing. "Where will you be during all this?"

Dan smirked. "That, my friends, is my little secret. Should your attempts fail, I have picked a time that will ensure victory. Now then, let us not waste any more time and give my former self hell."

With that, Dan unfurled the Infinity Map and dropped his allies in their respective timelines before departing for his time.

"No matter what, Danny, you will lose a family. And I shall be born again." Dan thought as he traveled to his fool proof timeline.

*****Meanwhile, With Danny, Ember, and the rest of the gang at Fenton Works*****

Clockwork had just finished explaining to the group the release of Dan Phantom, his partnership with Skulker, Vortex, and Undergrowth, and his plan to ruin the timeline. All during the explanation, Ember thought about the day's events and how she had hoped to end her 3 month anniversary with Danny on a high note. They had both come clean to his parents. His parents had accepted his being half ghost, his clone/sister, and their relationship. Baby-pop had proposed to her. Last but not least, she had told him that he was going to be a father and he couldn't be happier. Things were really looking up until Clockwork appeared and told them the bad news. An evil version of her Baby-pop had escaped, stolen the Infinity Map, and was now planning on destroying their relationship before it began. She half expected him to say the world was going to end, but determined it might as well have it Dan's plan succeeds.

"So what can we do?" Danny asked.

For the first time since he arrived, Clockwork cracked a smile. "I have a plan, but it will involve you and your new fiance."

"WHAT!" Danny and Ember yelled at the same time.

"Clockwork, there is no way I would risk my future wife and unborn children getting killed." Danny said, still shocked at the Master of Time's plan.

"Listen carefully, my apprentice. Both your wife ad her children will be safe. I promise."

Still on edge, Ember asked, "What would you have us do?"

"My plan is that I take you both back to the past, defeat the intruders of the timeline, and make sure everything occurred as it originally did."

"But Clockwork, what if we run into our other selves?" Danny asked.

"Sharp as ever, my apprentice. Lucky for us I can remove one of your counterparts from the timeline and implant the memories of the original event in their mind while you replace them."

"Wait, why can't you just replace both of us?" Ember asked.

"Two reasons. One, it would over extend my powers and it may lead us to failure. Two, Daniel has changed too much to be able to replace his counterpart. You, Miss McLain, have remained very much the same since your encounters."

"I can't just let her go to the past by herself and defeat this new enemy while she fights my past self, Clockwork." Danny pleaded.

"I have not forgotten you, Daniel. I have thought of a way for you to assist your fiance while your counterpart remains oblivious to your identity."

"What the hell is he going to do? Be the opening act for her band?" Sam asked after finding her voice.

Much to her, Tucker, and the Fenton's surprise, Danny actually smile. "Actually, that sounds like a great idea."

"Since when can you play an instrument and sing?" Tucker asked.

Now Dani, Jazz, and Ember began to smile. "Watch this." Danny said. He held out his hands and materialized a guitar. It looked very much like Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar except the color scheme was white, black, and ecto-green stripes on the body.

"Took me a while to learn how to do that and play it, but I had a beautiful teacher to help me." Danny said before kissing Ember on the cheek.

"Glad to have such an eager student." Ember replied, blushing.

"I would say get a room but I already know what you two would do once you got there." Sam grumbled.

"What about your face, Danny? You may have longer hair but your past self could still recognize you." Dani said.

"I think I can cover that." Jazz said. She grabbed Danny's hand and took him to her room. 5 minutes later, she came out sweating but smiling. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, Ember's new opening act!"

When Danny walked out, the entire room gasped, except for Clockwork. Danny was given Day of the Dead makeup on his face with his nose and eyes blacked out, a spiderweb design on his chin, cross on his forehead, and intricate lines on his cheek. He had also changed his shirt from the vest and t-shirt with his logo, it was now black with a flaming blue E on the front.

Ember finally spoke up. "You look awesome! If I wasn't afraid that I would ruin your makeup, I would kiss you."

"Well now that everything is settled, I believe we should be going before we feel the effects of their tampering." Clockwork said, opening a portal.

"Be safe, son. And keep that beautiful fiance safe" Jack said, embracing him.

"Good luck, big bro!" Dani called.

"I expect you both to come home. I don't want to lose both my son and grandchildren." Maddie said, still accepting the fact that he was getting married and going to be a father."

"You got this dude. Sam and I know you can beat these creeps." Tucker said and Sam nodded in agreement, a smile creeping on her face.

With that, the couple stepped through the portal, ready to defeat Dan and his goons.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: It Hits the Fan and "Lithium"

**Hey guys. Those summer classes can really catch up on you, can't they? Glad that I finally have a break and can write another chapter. I do not own Danny Phantom or "Lithium" by Nirvana. R&R and Enjoy!**

As the couple stepped out of the portal, they took in the view of a gigantic stage. Flyers were plastered everywhere, advertising for Ember's first concert in Amity.

"Whoa. Déjà vu." Ember and Danny said simultaneously.

"It seems that Dan Phantom has sent one of his allies to this point in time, most likely to make sure neither of you ever start to have feelings for each other. Currently, this timeline's Daniel has already been hypnotized by Miss McLain. I have taken the liberty of removing this timeline's Ember and will replace her once this intruder has been dealt with." Clockwork said.

"Great, a lot less we have to worry about." Ember replied. So who is the creep that was sent here?"

"Skulker." Clockwork stated.

"Figures. Bet he's pissed off at that little prank Vlad pulled." Danny said.

"If you call him starting a bar fight and destroying part of my realm after watching the two of you make love 'pissed off', then yes, he would be." Clockwork replied.

The two of them cringed. They had not realized what effects Vlad's broadcast would have on the Ghost Zone.

Sighing, Clockwork gave them a reassuring smile. "Whats done is done. While this may seem like a disaster in the beginning, everything will be as it should be in the end."

Brightening up, Ember said, "We won't let you down. After we catch my jealous ex, we can move on to the next one until we finally defeat Dan."

"Of that I have no doubt." Clockwork replied. "You may need this to capture the intruders." he said before handing Danny a Fenton Thermos. "Farewell." Clockwork said as he floated through another portal and vanished.

"Well, Baby-pop, guess we should get some practice in before the big fight. We don't know when or where Skulker will show up."

"Sounds like a plan" Danny said. He then picked up Ember bridal style, much to her delight, and flew over to the stage to practice both their performance and their fighting before the concert.

*****A Few Hours Later*****

"Well Danny, I think we can take on Skulker no problem."

"You said it. By the sound of the crowd it looks like they want the show to start."

"Hell yeah! I can already feel the power from the chanting." Ember said as her flame burned brighter.

"Easy there. Don't get too excited" Danny said, bringing her into an embrace. "Besides, I know how to get that hair even bigger and brighter." he added with a sly grin.

"Down, boy. When this thing with Dan is over, then we might have some more fun." Ember giggled, giving him a kiss on the lips. "Now go out there and warm the crowd up for me. I'll keep an eye out for the World's Lamest Hunter."

Grinning, Danny walked out onto the stage to tumultuous applause. Fans were screaming their heads off, people were crowd surfing, and there were no adults in sight. Gazing out into the crowd, he managed to spot his younger self and his friends. Sam was looking quite annoyed, Tucker was going crazy, and he looked like he was still infatuated with Sam. "My how the tides have turned." he thought to himself before walking up to the mike.

"Alright Amity! You ready to rock!"

The crowd exploded with applause and cheers.

"Awesome. Before we bring out the main event, here's a little something to get you guys ready for on helluva night!"

*****Meanwhile, with Ember*****

She watched as her fiance went into the opening chords of Lithium. It seemed like ages ago when they went to that amazing concert and saw Kurt Cobain and many other deceases artists perform their greatest hits. She would have never imagined that it would have led to popping his cherry and starting a relationship before the night ended.

_I'm so happy_

_'Cause today I found my friends_

_They're in my head_

_I'm so ugly_

_But that's okay, 'cause so are you_

_We broke our mirrors_

_Sunday morning_

_Is everyday for all I care_

_And I'm not scared_

_Light my candles_

_In a daze 'cause I found God_

"Well hello there, whore. Watching your boy toy play before you go on?" Said the last voice she wanted to hear.

Turning around with an annoyed expression on her face, Ember saw the mechanical body of her ex-boyfriend, Skulker.

"Your just jealous because you never went that far with me when we were together." she smirked.

"Wrong thing to say, bitch!" Skulker roared before he tackled her to the ground.

_I'm so lonely_

_But that's okay, I shaved my head_

_And I'm not sad_

_And just maybe_

_I'm to blame for all I've heard_

_But I'm not sure_

_I'm so excited_

_I can't wait to meet you there_

_And I don't care_

_I'm so horny_

_But that's okay_

_My will is good_

Ember managed to blast him off her and took to the skies. Whipping out her guitar, she sent a musical fist flying his way. Skulker dodged the attack and followed up with a missile attack. She managed to avoid the missile only to get zapped by an ecto beam.

"What's the matter? Those little kiddies weighing you down?" Skulker asked maliciously.

"Fuck you, asshole!" Ember yelled, letting out a power chord.

*****Meanwhile, with Sam, Tucker, and Past Danny*****

_I like it_

_I'm not gonna crack_

_I miss you_

_I'm not gonna crack_

_I love you_

_I'm not gonna crack_

_I killed you_

_I'm not gonna crack_

"Man this guy rocks! If this is setting up for Ember's performance, I can't wait to see how she does!"

"Tuck, focus. We need to try and snap lover boy out of this spell Ember hit him with." Sam replied, frustrated at the situation. "Although, I got to admit he looks kinda cute." she said, looking at the musician.

"I'll crush that bastard if he tries to make a move on you, Sam!" Danny said, not quite breaking free of the spell.

"Easy there, Romeo. Sam's just looking, she isn't buying." Tucker said only to get a punch in the arm from Sam.

"Not helping Tucker!" Sam yelled.

*****Back to Ember*****

Ember was slowing down. It became more difficult to dodge Skulker's arsenal.

"Must. Keep. Fighting." she grunted, kneeling behind the stage after Skulker's last missile attack.

_I'm so happy_

_'Cause today I found my friends_

_They're in my head_

_I'm so ugly_

_But that's okay, 'cause so are you_

_We broke our mirrors_

_Sunday morning_

_Is everyday for all I care_

_And I'm not scared_

_Light my candles_

_In a daze 'cause I found God_

_Yeah, yeah_

_Yeah, yeah!_

_Yeah, yeah_

_Yeah, yeah!_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

_Yeah, yeah_

_Yeah!_

"Looks like this is just about over." he said, landing in front of her with a smirk on his face and a nasty looking blade extending out of his arm.

"I guess the question now is, what should I take as my trophy? Should I scalp you and claim your flaming mane or simply vaporize you and keep your guitar?" he asked aloud, pretending to think this over.

Ember panted, afraid of what he was going to do.

"I know." he said, snapping his fingers. "How about I cut out those brats and watch you slowly bleed to death? Who knows, I might even add their skulls to my..."

Whatever Skulker was about to say, he never got the chance. He was hit by a loud ghostly wail. "What the hell! I thought the whelp was the only one that knew that move!" Skulker yelled as bits of armor came off. By the time Ember calmed down, Skulker was laying there in his true form, battered and bruised.

Picking up the disgusting little snot, she brought him to eye level. "You didn't think we just fucked all the time, did you?" venom dripping from her voice. "We taught each other new tricks and moves. Helped the other out when they needed it. That's what couples do. But I guess you'll never know what that feels like, to have someone love and care for you."

She then threw him down on the ground and pulled out the Fenton Thermos. "Goodbye, you green little shit. And if you ever threaten my children again, I just might stamp you a one way ticket to Hell.

"Damn you!" Skulker yelled before he was sucked into the thermos.

Right when she put the cap back on, Danny had finished the song. The crowd was cheering loudly for her Baby-pop.

"Alright. You guys have been such a wonderful audience. Lets keep this up for the main event, Ember McLain!" Danny said.

As the crowd chanted her name, she felt the pain and wounds from the previous battle disappear and her power restored.

"Time Out." Clockwork said, freezing everyone except for Danny and Ember.

"Well done, Miss McLain. Very impressive in your capture of Skulker." he stated, taking the thermos and handing her a new one."

Danny pulled Ember a tight embrace and gave her a passionate kiss. "I knew you could do it, my beautiful flame."

"I hate to be the buzz kill, but we don't have much time to celebrate just yet. We still have two more henchmen and Dan to capture."

"All business and no fun, eh Clockwork?" Ember sighed.

Instead of replying, he simply opened a new portal and allowed the couple to walk through before following them.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: "Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A Pirate's Life for Me!"

**Another day, another chapter. I appreciate the reviews from everyone. I am very excited about this chapter, as you can determine from the chapter's title. I do not own Danny Phantom or the song "Yo, Ho, Yo Ho! A Pirate's Life for Me!", lyrics by Francis Atencio and music by George Bruns. R&R and Enjoy!**

As the couple exited the portal, Ember took in the sight that was in front of her and let out a groan. Danny was about to ask what was the matter until he noticed the ghostly pirate ship.

"You can't be serious. Dan really sent someone back to when Youngblood and Ember teamed up?" Danny asked, turning to look at Clockwork.

"Indeed he has, my apprentice. So far Youngblood has kidnapped most of the parents in Amity and I believe a party is starting at Fenton Works."

"Wait." Ember said, giving the Master of time a skeptical look, "I was a part of the plan from the start. How am I supposed to convince Youngblood to let Danny on board with the crew without drawing suspicion to ourselves?"

"You will figure something out. I have faith in you." he replied before opening p another portal.

"How can you be so sure?" Ember asked, still confused.

"Master of Time, remember?" Clockwork stated before floating through the portal.

Flabbergasted, Ember stared at the spot where Clockwork had previously been. "How have you gotten used to his knowledge of everything past, present, and future?" she asked Danny.

"It takes a while but you get used to it." Danny replied. "Now lets convince Captain Kidd to let me join his crew."

Laughing, Ember snapped her fingers, causing a whirlwind of flames to engulf her. When the blaze calmed down, she was in her pirate garb.

"Remember the fun we had when you wore this?" Danny said with a sly grin.

"Just you wait. Youngblood will give you your own outfit." she giggled, flying with him towards the pirate ship.

*****Inside Youngblood's Ship*****

"So why exactly should I let this landlubber join my crew? I've never seen him around the Ghost Zone before."

"He's my opening act for my concerts and he prefers to keep to himself, unlike most ghosts."

"Fair enough." he replied. "But the question still remains, what can you do to contribute to my crew?"

Ember looked nervous, not sure how to answer. Danny decided to step in. "Every ship needs a musician. Give me a guitar and I can sing some sea shanties." Danny said confidently"

Youngblood's face brightened like a Christmas tree. "Finally, we have some entertainment besides the adults powering our ship!" he cheered. "Welcome aboard!"

The 10 year old pirate snapped his fingers. A black ring formed around Danny's middle. As it traveled up and down his body, his clothes began to change. By the end of the transformation, Danny was now wearing a blood red shirt, black pants, a long black coat, boots, and a pirate's tricorn hat.

"Hey, why did your transformation look like Phantom's?" Youngblood asked, slowly raising his sword.

Looking innocent, Danny replied "Who's Phantom? Another of your crew members?"

"No, he's the guy that ruined my concert and captured us." Ember said, playing along with Danny's game.

Shrugging his shoulders, Youngblood said, "My apologies. I didn't know you had never encountered the ghost boy. Now lets get ready. We are going to double check the town and make sure we have captured all the adults."

Youngblood walked away, leaving the couple alone. "Good thinking, Baby-pop. We dodged a bullet there!"

"You can say that again. Now lets get ready. You will be fighting me and I'll take on the intruder."

*****3 Hours Later*****

Youngblood was laughing with glee. He had the Ghost Boy all tied up and was about to make him walk the plank.

"Ar mates! This moment calls for a victory song. Musician!"

Out walked Danny, carrying an acoustic guitar while another crew member had an accordion.

As the accordion started playing, Ember chuckled as Danny began to sing.

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._

_We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

_We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

Excited, Youngblood decided to take over the next verse.

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._

_We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

_Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

"Come on Ember, I want to hear that voice!" Danny called. Giggling, she stood next to her Baby-pop and took over the next verse.

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._

_We kindle and char, inflame and ignite,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

_We burn up the city, we're really a fright,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

By this time, the whole crew was enjoying the scene. The only one who seemed annoyed was that timeline's Danny. Not only had he been captured, but he was now being forced to listen to Youngblood, Ember, and this mysterious guitar player belt out the Pirates of the Caribbean theme. Looking around, he saw a storm brewing and it seemed to be heading straight for them. Getting back to his present situation, he noticed that Ember and the guitar player were leading the song. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that the person looked familiar but he did have bigger things to worry about.

_We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

_We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._

_We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

_Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,_

_Drink up me hearties, yo ho._

At long last, the accordion played the last few notes of the song, causing the whole crew to cheer for Ember and her mysterious friend.

"Ah, nothing like a good sea shanty to celebrate a victory. Now I believe we delayed this long enough. Time to walk the plank!" Youngblood called.

At that moment, a loud crack of lightning struck the water besides the boat. Turning, the couple saw the gigantic storm forming.

"Must be Vortex." Danny said.

"You go deal with him, I'll try and make sure everything else happened as it did before."

Nodding, Danny flew off towards the storm. upon getting there, he finally noticed his target.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Phantom. You done playing pirate?"

"Dead men tell no tales, Vortex." Danny said.

"Guess that means your the dead man." Vortex cackled.

"We'll see about that." Danny said before rushing him.

He managed to get off a couple ecto blasts before Vortex retaliated with a cyclone.

"Ha! Dodge that!" Vortex cheered, only to see his storm freeze on the spot before shattering into a thousand pieces.

"Quite the breeze you kicked up. Hope you don't mind that I cooled things off?" Danny taunted. The reply he received was a bolt of lightning, missing him by inches.

*****Meanwhile, with Ember and past Danny*****

The two were locked in combat, Danny giving it his all while Ember was toying with him, trying to keep the fight going as long as possible until her Baby-pop captured Vortex.

"So, who is the new guy you've been hanging around with? I only saw him open for you when you first came to Amity and then nothing. I don't even see him in the Ghost Zone."

Thinking she might as well have some fun with the past version of her fiance, Ember managed to pin Danny against the main mast with her guitar. "What's the matter, Baby-pop? Someone a little jealous?"

"N-no!" Danny stuttered, trying to ignore the fact that Ember seemed to be hitting on him. "Oh, thats right. Your with the goth chick, aren't you?" Ember teased.

"So? What does it matter to you?" Danny said, trying to escape while at the same time, wanting to see were she was going with this conversation. "Oh, no reason at all. Just wanted to see if everything was as you imagined it would be with her."

At this, Danny finally broke free and started the fight again. 'Note to self,' Danny thought, 'If things don't work out with Sam, try seeing if Ember is available.'

*****Back to Danny and Vortex*****

Both Danny and Vortex were exhausted after their prolonged fighting. Lucky for Danny, the storm that Vortex had created that would have killed all the adults on the ship had dissipated.

"You can't keep this up forever, Phantom. Even if you beat me, there is no way in Hell you can defeat Undergrowth after this and Dan after him." Vortex panted.

"Maybe," Danny replied, "but I'll never know unless I try!"

With that, Danny quickly punched Vortex into the ocean and followed up with an ice beam. By the time he was through, Vortex was an iceberg. Proud of his handy work, Danny pulled out the Fenton Thermos and captured the spook-sicle. "Two down, two to go." Danny said.

"Time out." Clockwork said, pausing all of time, except for the couples.

"Well done you two." Clockwork complimented, taking the thermos from Danny and handing him an empty one. "We are half way there."

"Thank God." Ember said, snapping her fingers and transforming back into her normal clothes. "Not quite sure how much longer I could have held up against your past self, Baby-pop."

"You can say that again." Danny replied, changing out of his pirate get up as well. "Where to next, Clockwork?" Instead of replying, the Master of Time simply opened up a new portal and floated through. Sighing, the couple followed him to the next timeline they were supposed to fix.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: 'Beautiful Girls', Taming the Garden, and a Look into the Future

**Well, so far so good. I am having a blast writing this and I hope all you readers are enjoying it as well. I do not own Danny Phantom or 'Beautiful Girls' by Van Halen. R&R and Enjoy.**

*****Amity, 14 years in the future from the present day*****

Stepping through the portal and rolling up the Infinity Map, Dan observed his surroundings, taking in what the future would be like had he not ruled. Amity was surprisingly lively. Ghosts and humans were interacting without fear or conflict.

"Huh, things seem so peaceful. The living and the dead existing in harmony. I hate this future already." Dan snarled. Walking through the park, he noticed a poster that caught his eye. Some teen band called The Four Horsemen would be playing in the gazebo. Looking closely at the band's picture, he cracked a malicious grin.

"Looks like I've found my ace in the hole." Dan cackled as he made his way towards the music.

*****Meanwhile, With Danny, Ember and Clockwork*****

Upon exiting the portal, the couple noticed they were in the park. It was suspiciously empty except for a few women.

"Where is everyone?" Danny asked.

"We have arrived on the day Ember and her friends tried to make your town a paradise for women." Clockwork stated in a matter of fact tone.

"So I'm guessing we have already banished all the men since I see none around?" Ember inquired.

"Indeed." Clockwork replied. "You may need to convince your friends not to banish Daniel on sight. Also, be on the lookout for Undergrowth. Once you capture him, we can deal with Dan."

"Thanks, Clockwork. You can count on us." Danny said before Clockwork left through another portal.

"Ok, Baby-pop. This is going to be more difficult in convincing them to accept you than it was with Youngblood. So stay invisible until I'm ready to introduce you." Ember said to her fiance.

"No worries, my beautiful flame. Just call out to me when you are ready." Danny replied before going invisible. Grinning, Ember flew off to the stage that was being set up in the middle of the park.

Landing next to her friends, she walked up to them with a smile on her face.

"Ember, where have you been?" Kitty asked, "We were worried that you weren't going to open the show once the stage was complete."

Chuckling, Ember replied, "Oh I was just flying through the town, enjoying the freedom."

"You better, girlfriend." Spectra said, "We are going to have an amazing girls night out now that all the guys are gone."

"Yeah," Ember said slowly, "about that. You won't believe who just exited the Ghost Zone and started chatting with me." Nodding her head, Danny became visible again.

Immediately, Spectra screamed, "Testosterone! Kitty, banish him!" Right as Kitty was puckering her lips for a banishing kiss, Ember quickly slapped her hand over her mouth. "No!" Ember shrieked, panic in her voice. "Hear me out!"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Ember? I thought this was going to be a girls night out and you bring a man. Give me one good reason why we shouldn't banish him." Spectra said skeptically.

Thinking fast, Ember said in as calm and confident a tone as she could manage, "Because he offered to perform a duet with me."

"So? What's so special about him doing a duet?" Spectra asked.

Sighing, Ember turned to Danny and said, "Go on, dipstick. Take your shirt off."

Smirking, Danny took off his shirt off while simultaneously conjuring his guitar on his back to cover his tattoo with his and Ember's initials on it. Upon seeing he well toned abs and chest, Spectra and Kitty quickly ran over to Danny and inspected him thoroughly.

After her girlfriends fawned over her fiance for a good minute, Ember cleared her throat to get their attention again. "So, can he perform with me?"

"He sure can!" Kitty said.

"And maybe after he performs on stage, he can give us all a private performance." Spectra said seductively.

Seeing that Ember was about to go off on Spectra for suggesting something like that, Danny quickly added, "While I would love to spend some more time with you lovely ladies. I'm only able to perform for the one song before I need to head back to the Ghost Zone. I have a gig to do with my other band."

Kitty and Spectra groaned while Ember was mentally cheering.

*****2 Hours Later*****

The stage was finally set up and Ember had just finished her opening to the Girls Nigh Out. With the crowd cheering, Ember grabbed the mike.

"Alright ladies. Lets give a big round of applause to my guest singer tonight. We're going to do a little duet for you. Here's 'Beautiful Girls'!"

Walking out onto the stage with no shirt on, Danny began to play the opening riff to 'Beautiful Girls'.

_She was seaside sittin',_

_just a smokin' and a drinkin' on ringside,_

_on top of the world, oh, yeah_

_She had her drink in her hand;_

_she had her toes in the sand and whoa,_

_what a beautiful girl, ah, yeah_

_What a sweet talkin' honey with a little bit of money_

_can turn your head around_

_Creatures from the sea with the look to me_

_like she'd like to fool around_

_What a snappy little mammy._

_Gonna keep her pappy happy and accompany me_

_to the ends of the earth, ah, yeah_

At this point, Ember joined in for the chorus.

_Here I am, ain't no man of the world, no_

_All I need is a beautiful girl_

_Ah, yeah! Beautiful girls_

Laughing, Danny could hear the roar of the crowd. Not wanting to disappoint, he went into the next verse.

_Well, I'm a bum in the sun and I'm havin' fun_

_And I know you know I got no special plans_

"Special plans." Ember echoed.

_All the bills are paid, I got it made in the shade_

_An' all I n-n-need is the woman_

"Understand" she replied.

_What a sweet talkin' honey with a little bit of money_

_She turn your head around_

_A creature from the sea with the looks to me_

_Like she like to fool around_

Grinning, Ember joined her fiance in the chorus once more.

_Here I am, ain't no man of the world, no_

_All I need is a beautiful girl_

_Ah, yeah! Beautiful girl_

Going into a guitar sole, Danny walked up to the mike and asked, "You girls having fun tonight?"

His reply was a tremendous cheer. Many women were shouting how much they loved him while others simply flashed him their breasts. Ember shook her head, knowing that she had one up on all the women out there. Laughing, Danny went into the last verse.

_Now I'm a seaside sittin'_

_Just a smokin' and a drinkin', I'm ringside_

_On top of the world_

"Top of the World!" the crowd replied.

_I got a drink in my hand,_

_I got my toes in the sand_

_All I need, is beautiful girl_

"Beautiful Girl!"

_Here I am, ain't no man of the world, no._

_All I need is a beautiful girl._

_Ah, yeah! Beautiful girls._

As Danny and Ember repeated the last line of the chorus four more times, they slowly made their way towards each other. After the last repeat, Danny brought Ember into a quick kiss as the song ended. The crowd erupted in cheers and some groans as the two separated.

"Guess we better hope that your friends didn't see us do that." Danny said, a smile plastered on his face.

"No worries, my love. If I know them they are rushing to get ready for their shows." Ember replied.

As if on queue, they saw Kitty and Spectra rushing to them from backstage.

"Did we miss the song?" Kitty asked anxiously.

"Yup. You missed one hell of a duet." Ember replied

"Damn it!" Spectra pouted. "I never got to enjoy those beautiful abs as long as I had hoped to."

"Well, I'd better head back to the Ghost Zone. It was nice meeting the both of you." Danny said.

"And you. If we ever run into each other in the Ghost Zone, lets go out for a couple drinks." Spectra said, giving Danny a wink.

Wanting to get out before Kitty tried to put the moves on her fiance, Ember quickly said, "Ok girls, I'm going to transport him to his concert and I'll be back in time for my encore." With that, she grabbed Danny and teleported away from the stage to a secluded part of town.

"Wow." Danny said. "Didn't know Spectra was so horny."

"Believe it, Baby-pop. You couldn't comprehend all the things she has asked Bertrand to transform into and do to her." Ember replied, shivering in disgust.

"So," Danny said while putting his shirt back on. "If I were a plant ghost and wanted to take over the town, where would I start?"

As if on queue, the couple heard the shattering of glass. Flying towards the noise, they noticed a flower shop was being ransacked by none other than Undergrowth. He was gorging himself on as much fertilizer as he could while using his powers to mutate and corrupt the plant life.

"Sir, I believe that's the wrong product. Your looking for weed killer." Danny teased, causing Ember to giggle.

Tossing away his latest meal, Undergrowth glared at the ghostly couple. "Well, if it isn't my least favorite ghosts. One with the power over ice and the other over fire."

"Yeah, the odds really aren't in your favor." Ember joked. "So why don't you just give up now and hop into this Thermos. It will make all our lives and afterlives much easier."

Cracking an evil grin, Undergrowth used the power he gained from the fertilizer and flowers to grow, towering over the building and the couple. "But where would be the fun in that? With all the men gone and the women preoccupied with your concert, I should have no problem conquering your town. Pretty soon there will be no more concrete jungles. There will be a mighty forest, controlled by me!"

Proud of his speech, he looked at the couple, only to see them yawning. "Wow, that was a bore. Did you catch anything he said, Baby-pop."

Pretending to rub the sleep out of his eyes, Danny replied, "All I heard was someone needs their lawn mowed."

Yelling with frustration, Undergrowth sent out vines to try and ensnare the two, only to have them frozen or charred.

*****Meanwhile, Back in Present Day Amity*****

Clockwork's portal opened inside the Mayor's Mansion. Floating up to the bedroom, he saw Vlad Masters, gazing with despair at an old college photo of him, Maddie, and Jack.

"All those years trying to get revenge on Jack and now Daniel, now wasted. I have everything I could ever want except for a family."

"It is not wise for one to dwell too much on the past. Good or bad, we must accept that what's done is done and try to make new and better memories from our experiences." Clockwork mused.

"And what do I owe the honor of having the Master of Time in my humble abode." Vlad said halfheartedly.

"I have come to you with a choice. One that could determine the fate of both the Ghost Zone and the human realm."

"If it has to do with that evil form of Daniel that was unleashed in your realm, then I want nothing to do with it. If he can't find me then he can't..."

"He can and will find you. No matter what you do, no matter where you go, he will seek you out and force you to bond with his past self to ensure his future."

Sighing, Vlad asked, "So what would you have me do?"

*****Back to Danny and Ember*****

Even with his energy boost and his plant minions, Undergrowth was slowly loosing to Danny and Ember.

"No, I will not be defeated!" Undergrowth yell. Quicker than Ember could react, he managed to coil a vine around her neck and started squeezing tightly.

"My how the tides have turned." Undergrowth snarled. He put an even stronger effort into keeping Danny distracted while he tortured Ember. "I should kill you now, but Dan did mention he wanted the Ghost Child to be corrupted. What better way to do that than to kill his spawn." Ember began to struggle more furiously as Undergrowth brought up a thorn covered vine and slowly directed it towards her stomach.

Glancing over, Danny saw his beautiful flame being choked while another vine threatened to puncture her womb. With all his might, Danny let out the loudest and strongest ghostly wail he could muster. The vines began to tremble and writhe in pain. When Undergrowth was hit his grip on Ember slipped, allowing her to wriggle free. Seeing his love was safe and unharmed, he charged up his hands and began to freeze Undergrowth solid while Ember began to incinerate him from the other side. By the time the two attacks met in the middle, one half of Undergrowth was a pile of ash while the other was a giant ice sculpture. Ember uncapped the Fenton Thermos and captured what was left of the plant ghost. Closing the thermos, she flew over to Danny and gave him a tight embrace.

"I was afraid I was going to lose you, my beautiful flame." Danny said, tears streaming from his eyes.

"I was worried that he would kill our babies and cause you to turn into that monster." Ember replied, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Everything is ok now." Danny soothed, running his hand through her hair. "We captured that sick bastard and you and the babies are safe. That's all I care about."

She looked up and saw the tears in his eyes. But they were tears of joy instead of tears of sorrow. She brought her lips to his and melted into his passionate kiss.

*****Back to Vlad and Clockwork*****

"So," the Master of Time said, "have you made your decision?"

Vlad had a stunned look on his face. Finding his voice, he said, "Choice? I have no choice! Either I go through with your plan and save the world or I decline and wait to be hunted down. You are not leaving me with very many options here!"

Calmly, Clockwork replied, "In my line of work, there are an infinite number of options available, all leading to an infinite number of possibilities. You can decline my offer and try to hide for the rest of your life, wallowing in your self pity in a desperate attempt to save yourself from the inevitable. Or you could take a chance. Step up and prove to your love that you are not a coward and that you are the man she once called a friend. You may even find that sense of family that you were so desperately looking for all this time. In the end the choice is yours."

Vlad took in everything Clockwork had told him. With his wealth, he could go anywhere he wanted, change his name, and make a new life in the hopes of avoiding this horrible monster. But he would still feel the emptiness he currently felt. Money could buy many things, but true happiness was not one of them.

Sighing, Vlad said, "Alright. I will accept your plan."

Nodding, the Master of Time replied, "Very well. I will return when I need you. I will let you prepare while I take Daniel and Ember to meet Dan for the final battle."

With that, Clockwork opened a portal and floated through it, leaving Vlad Masters to his preparations.

**Author's Note: This Chapter turned out longer than I expected. I became so invested in it I didn't see how big my word count was until the end. Hope you guys don't mind.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Final Battle and '(Don't Fear) The Reaper'

**Alright guys, getting close to the end here. Just this and one more chapter before it is finished. Thank you guys for the support and reviews. I am happy to hear that you enjoy my music selection and that it isn't ruining your reading experience. I do not own Danny Phantom or the song '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' by Blue Oyster Cult. R&R and Enjoy.**

As Clockwork arrived to pick up Danny and Ember to take them to the final location, he saw them locked in a kiss. They looked shaken by their latest encounter. The Master of Time shook his head, knowing that they would experience an even greater fear and sense of loss after their battle with Dan.

"Well, my apprentice, it seems that you and your fiance have succeeded in capturing the last henchman." He received no verbal reply from the couple except for the end of their kiss and Ember tossing the Fenton Thermos containing Undergrowth.

"Are you two prepared to fight Dan?" Clockwork inquired.

The two nodded solemnly. "You going to give us another Thermos to capture him?" Danny asked.

"No. You won't be needing it." Clockwork replied.

"What do you mean? How else are we supposed to capture him?" Ember asked.

"After this battle, it will be impossible for Dan to exist."

"Wait, the only way for Dan not to exist is if..." Danny said slowly before realizing the answer.

Ember quickly understood where her fiance was going and she became furious. She glared at the Master of Time, her teeth bared and her beautiful flaming hair turning into an inferno.

"No! You never said that you would be taking away my Baby-pop, you son of a bitch!" In an instant, she rushed at the Master of Time, ready to inflict a world of pain on him. Right as she was about to strike, he vanished and appeared behind her, saying "Time in."

"Fight me, you cowardly Mother Fucker! If you think you can take away my fiance and leave me alone with our babies, you've got another thing coming!"

She sped towards him again, tears of rage streaming from her eyes. This time, it was Danny who prevented her from striking Clockwork.

"Let me go, Baby-pop! I'm going to make him pay!" Ember screamed, struggling against Danny's grip.

"Ember please! Calm down." Danny pleaded.

"I can't!" Ember said, finally breaking down and crying in his arms. "I have finally found happiness by being engaged to you and carrying your children. Then Clockwork comes in, telling us that a future version of yourself is threatening to destroy our lives with the help of some other ghosts. Right when we think we caught a break by capturing all his thugs, he tells us that you might die after this final fight."

"Shh." Danny calmly said, whipping the tears from her eyes. "If I have learned anything from being Clockwork's apprentice, its that the future can be unpredictable. He never actually said that I needed to die to make sure that he was gone for good. There is a chance we can beat him and I can still be here for you and the children."

Calming down, she first looked at her fiance and then over to Clockwork. "He is correct, Ms. McLain. There is another way to defeat Dan for good and have Daniel remain with you." the Master of Time said.

Nodding slowly, she loosened herself from Danny's grip. "I'm sorry for going off on you like that, Clockwork. I just wish that me and Baby-pop could catch a break from all this madness."

Clockwork slowly nodded. "Thats quite alright. Now, are you two ready for your final battle?"

The couple nodded their heads. They watched as Clockwork opened a portal to their next destination. Walking through, they noticed they were still in Amity, except it was mid day and there were people openly interacting with and talking with ghosts.

"How far did you take us?" Danny asked, still in shock from what he was seeing.

"We are 14 years in the future from your present timeline, my apprentice. Here, the living and the dead are no longer afraid of each other and coexist to make their lives and afterlives better." Clockwork replied.

"Wow." Ember said in amazement. "So where is Dan?"

Before Clockwork could reply, the couple heard the opening to chords to '(Don't Fear) The Reaper'. Clockwork grinned, leaving he couple to wonder what he thought was so amusing.

"Follow the music, and there you will find your enemy." Clockwork replied before stepping through another portal and vanishing.

_All our times have come_

_Here, but now they're gone_

Shrugging, the two began walking towards the music. "Whoever these guys are, they're pretty talented." Ember said.

"You can say that again." Danny replied.

_Seasons don't fear the reaper_

_Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain_

"We can be like they are" Echoed another voice.

_Come on baby_

"Don't fear the reaper"

_Baby take my hand_

"Don't fear the reaper"

_We'll be able to fly_

"Don't fear the reaper"

_Baby I'm your man_

_La, la la, la la_

_La, la la, la la_

Rounding the corner, the couple saw a group of teens playing on a gazebo. From the looks of them, they appeared to be ghosts. The lead singer was a girl with green skin, long flowing black hair that went the entire length of her back and covered her left eye. She wore ripped jeans and a faded grey t-shirt with Aerosmith's logo emblazoned on the front. On her left was the lead guitarist. He had grey skin and unkempt, shoulder length green hair. He wore a black duster jacket with a white a-shirt and faded blue jeans.

_Valentine is done_

_Here but now they're gone_

_Romeo and Juliet_

_Are together in eternity_

"Romeo and Juliet"

_40,000 men and women every day_

"Like Romeo and Juliet"

_40,000 men and women every day_

"Redefine happiness"

_Another 40,000 coming every day_

"We can be like they are"

"Hey, Baby-pop. Looks like Johnny and Kitty got a little busy and had a kid of their own. And if I'm not mistaken, that girl looks like Technus and Desiree's daughter. Ha! Those guys are gonna flip when we tell them!"

She turned to see her fiance staring at the stage in shock. "Come on, Danny. I know its surprising but we still have to find and beat Dan."

"Did you look at the bass player and the drummer?" Danny asked, not taking his eyes of the band.

Turning back to the band, she took a closer look at the bass guitarist. What she saw took her breath away. There stood a boy with flaming blue, shoulder length hair. His skin was blue and he had a black spade painted over his right eye. He had a sleeveless black shirt, black jeans, and a pair of black Converse All-Stars. What shocked her even more was that the design on his bass was a replica of her guitar. Ember quickly turned to inspect the drummer. She had white hair that appeared to go down her back and a normal human skin tone. She wore a grey hoodie, blue jeans, and combat boots.

"Danny?" Ember said slowly. "Are those our..."

"Kids? I think so" Danny finished for her as they watched the band play.

_Came the last night of sadness_

_And it was clear she couldn't go on_

_Then the door was open and the wind appeared_

_The candles blew and then disappeared_

_The curtains flew and then he appeared_

"Saying, 'Don't be afraid'" Their son echoed.

_Come on baby_

"And she had no fear"

_And she ran to him_

"Then they started to fly"

_They looked backward and said goodbye_

"She had become like they are"

_She had taken his hand_

"She had become like they are"

_Come on baby_

"Don't fear the reaper"

As the song ended, the band looked out and saw the couple. Immediately, the faces of their children lit up.

"Mom! Dad!" they said as they climbed down to meet their parents. Both teens hugged Danny and Ember, much to the couple's shock.

"I knew you would be coming soon!" the boy said, his arms wrapped around Ember.

"Yeah," the girl added as she clung to Danny. "We thought we would have to wait for another hour for you to arrive."

"Umm..." Danny said, not quite sure how to tell their future children that they aren't their timeline's parents.

Letting go of them, the twins stepped back and looked their parents over. "You know, mom, you should really think about keeping your hair down. You look amazing with it in our timeline." the girl said.

"And dad hasn't grown his goatee or gotten his tattoo of our names on his forearm yet." The boy added.

"Wait," Ember said, trying to comprehend what her future children were saying. "You know that we are from a different timeline?"

The teens began to laugh. "Of course we do. You guys and Clockwork already told us the game plan." The boy said.

"Okay." Danny said, still wrapping his head around what was happening. "Before we go any further, would you mind telling us your names?"

"I'm Victoria." their daughter said.

"And I'm Lucas." their son added.

"Hey, babe, what's taking so long?" The green haired teen asked, walking over to the family followed by the lead singer.

Ember stepped forward, her brow furrowed. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be Johnny and Kitty's son. You better hope your mother knocked some manners into you that your father lacked."

"Of course." the boy said, raising his hands in defense. "Mom would banish me if I tried anything slick with Victoria. I'm Mike by the way."

"And what is your name?" Danny asked the lead singer.

"I'm Sophia. As you can see I get my looks from my mother but I picked up my father's power over technology." the girl replied, wrapping her arms around Lucas and resting her head on his shoulders.

"Well, it looks like we have a bright future to look forward." Danny said.

"So touching." the group whirled around to see the Dan, walking towards them and clapping in a condescending manner. "Your future would look amazing if I didn't have anything to say about it."

"So you finally show your face. We sensed you enter the time stream but assumed you went invisible to avoid our detection until our parents arrived." Lucas said, getting his bass ready for a musical attack.

"My dad look so much better than you, you alternate universe creep." Victoria added, pulling out a set of drumsticks.

"Oh I'm so scared." Dan said with as much sarcasm as he could muster. "I have to fight myself, his whore, his spawn, and their little band."

"Thats it! Nobody calls our mom a whore!" The twins yelled before rushing at Dan. Lucas strummed his bass, sending a musical fist his way. Dan was knocked back from surprise but managed to recover. Looking around, his eyes landed on Victoria, twirling her drumsticks.

"Hey sis! I got a fever. What's your prescription?" Lucas asked.

As if on queue, the sister conjured a giant cowbell, the open end aimed at Dan. "MORE COWBELL!" Victoria screamed, pounding out a beat and sending several sound waves crashing into Dan. Brushing off the latest attack, Dan was now facing the remaining members of the band. "Oh great." he said in a condescending tone, "I now get to face the twins fuck buddies. What are you going to do?"

"Shadow, attack!" Mike said. Immediately, a shadow much like his father's emerged and held Dan's hands behind his back. Then Sophia used her powers to bring the amps and microphone from the gazebo and aimed them at Dan.

"By the way, Lucas and I aren't fuck buddies! We've only made it to second base!" She screamed, sending her voice through the possessed speakers. By the time she calmed down, she lost her control over the speakers and Mike's shadow was exhausted and returned to its owner.

"Well, now that you've finished your little game, I think it's my turn to play." Dan said maliciously.

First, Dan rushed towards Mike. Grabbing him by the neck, he hurled him into the gazebo, causing it to crash down on top of him. He then turned towards Sophia and blasted her with an ecto beam, sending her crashing into a tree and knocking her unconscious. Before he could let out his furry on the twins, Danny and Ember rushed in front of them.

"Don't even think about it Dan." Danny spat. "You think we would let you attack our children?" Ember added, venom in her voice.

Dan cackled. "I don't care if you don't want me to or not. I will kill your children in this time period and then I'll cut them out of your bitch. You see, the only thing you would love more than your friends would be your children. By killing them, the guilt would drive you to cut out your humanity and guarantee my existence. I might even get a play thing out of this if Ember survives my little operation."

"Wow. Did you come up with that speech on the fly or did you actually put time into thinking it up?" Lucas asked sarcastically.

"Whats funny is that he thinks we're going to be push overs." Victoria added.

"Looks like your fucked now." Ember said, getting her guitar ready.

"Hope you like your one way ticket to Hell." Danny finished.

With that, the family split up, Ember and Lucas flying in one direction and and Danny and Victoria in the other. Dan aimed was aiming to blast Ember off her guitar only to get his hand frozen by Victoria.

"Nice shot, honey!" Danny said.

"I had a great teacher, Dad!" she replied, punching Dan in the face. Outraged, Dan shattered the ice around his hand and turned on the girl only to be blocked by Ember, aiming her guitar at him.

"Ready, son?" Ember yelled.

"Ready when you are."

Realizing too late what was going to happen, he turned to sea Lucas send a musical directly at him the same time Ember sent one into his back. The combine attack caused Dan to fall out of the sky.

"Enough!" Dan yelled, hatred in his eyes. He took a deep breath and let out his strongest ghostly wail. Danny countered with his own, only to realize that he was slowly loosing. Seeing her fiance in trouble, Ember landed next to him and added her ghostly wail to the attack. While stronger, Dan's attack was slowly getting closer. Much to their surprise, Lucas and Victoria stood by their parents and let out their own ghostly wails. With the power of the Phantom Family against his attack, Dan was blasted back, leaving him beaten and bruised. Danny and Ember panted with exhaustion, the attack leaving them extremely weak. The twins collapsed from exhaustion, transforming back into their human forms. Lucas' hair turned black and fell down his back, much like Danny's hair did now, his blue skin changed to a normal skin tone and the spade disappeared. Victoria remained the same except her hair changed from white to black.

"Well, I guess that answers that question." Danny said, still breathless from the attack.

"Yes indeed." said a sinister voice. To their horror, the couple saw Dan slowly walking towards them, he was clutching at his side, bleeding ectoplasm. Danny and Ember tried to get ready to fight again but they were swept aside by Dan. He continued to walk towards the twins, ready to strike the killing blow. As he raised his hand covered in ectoplasmic energy, he cackled in delight. "First these two, and then its time to play doctor!" Dan yelled.

His arm began to descend, a maniacal look in his eyes. Merely inches away from running his hand through the twins, Clockwork called, "Time out."

**Authors Note: Hope you guys enjoys this long chapter and I hope you don't hate me too much for the cliffhanger.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: One Future Ends and Another Begins and 'The Power of Love'

**Well guys, this is the end. I am so glad at how these stories turned out but at the same time, I am sad that it has to end. I do want to get your guys input on another series I would like to start. Seeing as I have Dani paired with Youngblood in my little universe, I was thinking about doing some spin off stories involving these two. I would appreciate your input on this as well as your normal reviews. And before you ask, yes I do like Back to the Future and I felt that this song would be a great way to close this particular story. I do not own Danny Phantom or 'The Power of Love' by Huey Lewis and The News. R&R and Enjoy!**

As all time came to a standstill, two beings observed the current situation. The Master of time looked on, his face emotionless. Beside him stood Vlad Plasmius. He looked emotionally torn at the situation. He saw his young enemy next to his fiance, a mask of despair on his face. Then he saw Dan, a wicked grin of triumph on his face as he prepared to deliver the killing blow. Last but not least he looked upon the twins. Walking closer, he took the time to look them over. They had inherited their father's messy hair and their mother's round face.

"Well Daniel, you have managed to beat me. You have found the love of your life and managed to make two beautiful children." Glancing up from the teens, he looked at Clockwork.

"So this is how it end, out of all the possibilities, this is the one that is the best outcome."

Clockwork nodded. "Were there any other alternative, I would have suggested it. But I have seen pain and misery in all other scenarios. Some may not be as immediate as others, but it will only bring more pain and suffering if we don't pick this method."

Sighing, Vlad picked up Victoria, cradling her as if she was his own daughter. "So this is how it ends." Vlad said, tears welling in his eyes. "All those schemes and plans I have made against Daniel and Jack and it comes to this final choice. This one act of redemption to make up for years of selfishness and coveting."

Placing her beside her father, Vlad walked back to move Lucas. "Just tell me one thing, Clockwork." Vlad called as he picked up the boy. "Will this really make up for what I have done? Do I have paradise to look forward to, or should I expect to meet him in eternal punishment?"

Much to his surprise, Clockwork gave him a small smile. "I may not know everything about the life after this, but I do know that it is never too late to be redeemed. Like the Prodigal Son, you will be welcomed into paradise with open arms. As for this world, you will not be forgotten. Your friends will keep your memory alive. Daniel, Ember and their children will be eternally grateful for this selfless act."

Grinning, Vlad placed the boy next to his mother and returned to face Dan's blow.

"Do you wish me give the couple any final words from you?" Clockwork asked, ready to set time in motion again.

"Tell them I am sorry and I hope they have a wonderful life and afterlife together. Everything else is settled in my will." Vlad said, like a man who has accepted his fate and is ready to face it head on.

Nodding, Clockwork stated, "Time In."

As Dan's hand burst through his chest and out his back, Vlad felt pain for only a second. Then a feeling of calm washed over him as he saw Dan's face change from triumph to terror.

"What! How did you..." Dan stammered before a gaping hole appeared in his chest. He gasped as he felt his grasp on reality fading. Turning around, he saw Clockwork floating next to his past counterpart.

"Damn you, Clockwork. Damn you!" Dan screamed as he faded and finally disappeared from existence.

Danny and Ember were still in shock. One minute, Dan was about to end the lives of their children. The next, Vlad had been impaled. Looking around, they saw the unconscious twins lying next to them.

"I believe," Clockwork said, bringing them back to reality, "That Vlad has enough time to give you his last words before he passes on to a plain beyond both the human realm and the Ghost Zone. Rushing towards him, Danny and Ember fell to their knees and held him in a sitting position. Coughing up both blood and ectoplasm, Vlad looked at the two and gave them a shaky smile.

"Well, I hope this makes up for my past actions against you and your fiance, Daniel."

Tears coming down his eyes, Danny couldn't help but chuckle. "You may have been one messed up fruit loop, but I think this more than makes up for everything. I'm just sorry that we can't start over and work together."

Leaning down, Ember kissed Vlad's forehead. "Thank you for your sacrifice. I was afraid I was going to loose everything before you stepped in. I just wish there was something we could do for you."

Laughing, Vlad managed to grin. "Just make sure you take care of those children."

"So this is uncle Vlad?" the group heard Lucas say.

"Hard to believe this will be the first and last time we ever see him" Victoria replied.

Looking up, Danny and Ember saw the twins looking at the dying form of Vlad, a mixture of happiness and sorrow on their faces.

"So I am remembered? I guess I did find that family I was looking for in the end." Vlad said before his body went limp and he faded into nothing.

"And so ends the existence of Dan Phantom through the sacrifice of Vlad Masters." Clockwork said as he floated towards the family.

"How are we going to explain his death to the rest of the town in our timeline." Danny asked.

"It seems that there was a tragic fire at the Mayor's Mansion. Little survived the inferno except for some partial human remains that will match to Mayor Masters." Clockwork said solemnly.

"I guess he did have a plan for everything." Danny said, chuckling a little.

"I do believe that you two and your family are included in his last will and testament." the Master of Time added.

This surprised the couple, curious as to what they might have received.

"Now that the time stream has been fixed, we should be taking our leave." Clockwork said as he opened a portal. "I'll give you five minutes to say your goodbyes."

Turning to their twins, they couldn't help but smile with pride at how they would turn out in the future.

"Don't worry, you'll be seeing us real soon" Victoria said, hugging Ember.

"I'm looking forward to it. And make sure Mike doesn't get too frisky with you. If he is anything like his dad, he has an unbelievable sex drive."

Her daughter laughed. "Don't worry mom. Kitty and dad from our timeline make sure of that."

"It was great seeing you and mom when you were our age." Lucas said as fist bumped Danny.

"Same here. By the way, did you really go to second base with Sophia?" Danny asked with a sly grin.

"Well, one thing led to another. Unfortunately for me I had to make a quick getaway before Technus found me fooling with her little girl." Lucas replied

"Does your mom know about this?"

"Yup. At first she was pissed that I would do something like that, but when I told her how we felt about each other she said it reminded her of when the two of you first dated."

Laughing, Danny brought his son into a tight embrace.

"That's my boy. Just be sure to treat her right, just like I did with your mom."

"No problem, dad." Lucas said before letting go.

Danny and Ember walked towards the portal, waving goodbye to their future children before stepping back into their timeline.

After getting back to the present and recounting their journey to the family, Danny, Ember and the Fentons prepared for Vlad's funeral. It was small and quiet. The Fentons, Danny, Ember, Sam, and Tucker were present along with other personal friends of Vlad. Danny and Ember watched sadly as the coffin was slowly lowered into the grave. Maddie, Jazz, and Dani were silently crying while Jack was bawling his eyes out over the loss of his college friend. After the ceremony, they were all called to be present for the reading of the will.

"To Jack Fenton. I leave to you all my research on ghosts. Though I may have blamed you for the accident and for taking Maddie away from me, I have come to realize that you were my dearest friend and only wished the best for me. I am so sorry that it took me this long to realize this." the lawyer read as he handed Jack a stack of files and a container full of USB memory sticks. Jack broke down crying again as he accepted the items.

"To Maddie Fenton. I leave to you my prized weapons collection. Though I may have been obsessed with you, I have accepted that we were not meant to be together. I hope you can accept this as my apology." The lawyer then walked over to a large personal safe and showed the many antique and prototype weapons. Maddie slowly nodded, a single tear falling from her eye.

"To Danielle. I would first like to ask you for forgiveness for all the pain I put you through. A real father would never have done that to his daughter. Enclosed are your birth certificate and guardianship papers giving full custody to Jack and Maddie Fenton. I hope they can be a better family to you than I could ever be."

Dani began to sob. "I forgive you." she said, burring her head into Maddie's arms.

"To Jasmine Fenton. I have managed to get you a full ride into Harvard University. Take this opportunity to make something great with your life." Jazz simply nodded, a sad smile coming to her face.

"To Tucker Foley and Samantha Manson. I leave you each with 10 million dollars. After all the trouble I have caused you two and Daniel, I hope you can accept this as my apology."

Tucker jumped out of his chair, saying, "Hell yeah! I just won the jackpot!" before Sam punched him in the arm and everyone in the room gave him disapproving looks. "Oh yeah. Forgot this was a funeral." Tucker said before sitting back down.

"And finally, to Daniel Fenton and his fiance Ember McLain. For years I have tried to ruin you, Daniel, though you always managed to foil my plans in the end. My most recent attempt against you and your fiance have made me realize that instead of trying to blame others for the happiness I never had, I should have been working to make my life as good and fulfilling as yours. It is unfortunate I have only come to realize this so near the end. To you, I will cover the cost of your wedding and leave to you my remaining fortune. May your lives be wonderful together and your children happy."

Danny and Ember sat there in shock. They had not expected to receive so much from his will. Glancing over at her fiance, Ember said, "Well Baby-pop, I think he has more than made up for his past deeds."

Grinning, Danny leaned forward and kissed her. "That he has, my beautiful flame. That he has."

*****9 Months Later*****

Today was a the day. Everybody in Amity and the Ghost Zone (Minus Skulker, Vortex, and Undergrowth) were excited for the event. Wedding decorations were set up in the center of the park. Humans and ghosts alike were seated, waiting for the ceremony to begin. The maids, dressed in violet, included Sam, Jazz, Dani, Kitty, and Desiree, the later two ghost both sporting swollen bellies from their coming children. On the opposite side, dressed in black tuxedos, were Tucker, Johnny, Youngblood, and Technus. In the middle stood Danny in his human form. He had a huge grin on his face, waiting for his bride to walk down the isle. Suddenly, Clockwork stepped through a portal in front of the podium and the music began.

Ember began walking towards Danny. She had a beautiful, white wedding dress. She decided to let her hair cascade down her back instead of her usual ponytail. Standing in front of Danny, she could see the look of awe on his face through her veil.

"Dearly beloved," Clockwork began. "We are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony. Do you, Ember, Take Daniel to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Ember said, barely able to hold back her tears

"And do you, Daniel, take Ember to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Danny answered.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Lifting her veil, Danny passionately kissed Ember. The crowd cheered. Jack and Maddie sat in the front row, holding their grandchildren Lucas and Victoria. Maddie was smiling, tears falling down her face while Jack was letting loose the water works.

"And now, as a special wedding present from me, I present the Four Horsemen to sing a song for the newly weds." Clockwork said.

Turning in surprise, Danny and Ember saw that a ghostly stage had appeared and on it was their future twins and their band.

"One! Two! Three! Four!" Victoria counted

The band then began to play 'The Power of Love' much to the couples delight. They were surprised to see their son at the mike as he began to sing.

_The power of love is a curious thing_

_Make a one man weep, make another man sing_

_Change a hawk to a little white dove_

_More than a feeling that's the power of love_

Danny and Ember watched in awe as the future versions of their son and daughter performed for them.

"I think we brought them up well, don't you, Baby-pop?"

"We sure did, Ember." Danny said as he cheered on his kids.

_Tougher than diamonds, whips like cream_

_Stronger and harder than a bad girls dream_

_Make a bad one good, make a wrong one right_

_Power of love will keep you home at night_

_It dont need money, dont take fame_

_Dont need no credit card to ride this train_

_Its strong and its sudden and its cruel sometimes_

_But it might just save your life_

_Thats the power of love, thats the power of love_

All the women began to form up behind Ember, begging her to toss the bouquet. Tossing it up in the air, the girls went wild. Just as Paulina was about to grab it, Kitty snatched it out of the air. She cheered and flew over to Johnny, planting a kiss on his lips.

_First time you feel it, it might make you sad_

_Next time you feel it, it might make you mad_

_But you'll be glad, baby when you've found_

_Thats the power, makes the world go round_

_And it dont need money, dont take fame_

_Dont need no credit card to ride this train_

_Its strong and its sudden and its cruel sometimes_

_But it might just save your life_

_They say that all in love is fair_

_Yeah but you dont care_

_But you know what to do_

_When it gets hold of you_

_And with a little help from above_

_You feel the power of love_

_You feel the power of love, can you feel it?_

As the guitar solo played, Lucas said. "Hope that you had a wonderful wedding, mom and dad!" Danny and Ember cheered while the rest of the crowd looked on in surprise, glancing from the babies in Jack and Maddie's arms to the teens on stage. What was more shocking, especially to Johnny, Kitty, Technus, and Desiree, was when Sophia wrapped her arms around Lucas and gave him a passionate kiss while Mike gave Victoria a peck on the cheek.

"Hey Phantom!" Technus yelled. "Is that my future daughter your son is making out with?"

Danny and Ember began to laugh while Kitty wolf whistled the kids. "Looks like we're going to be family after all!" Kitty said to Ember.

Ember just shook her head as she brought her new husband into a passionate kiss, letting her hair flare up like a wild fire.

_It don't take money, don't take fame_

_Don't need no credit card to ride this train_

_Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel_

_You won't feel nothin' till you feel_

_You feel the power, just the power of love_

_That's the power, that's the power of love_

_You feel the power of love_

_You feel the power of love_

_Feel the power of love_


End file.
